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09.20.2022 - City Council MinutesCity of Clermont MINUTES FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 CALL TO ORDER The City Council met in a Special Meeting on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at City Hall. Mayor Murry called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm with the following Council Members present: Council Members Bates, Purvis, Entsuah, and Pines. Other City officials present were City Manager Bulthuis, City Attorney Mantzaris and City Clerk Howe. The agenda items will be discussed concurrently and voted on separately. Item No. I — Resolution No. 2022-032R — FY 202212023 Ad Valorem Millage Rate A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT OF LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE FINAL LEVYING OF AD VALOREM TAXES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023; PROVIDING FOR COLLECTION OF TAXES; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Item No. 2 — Resolution No. 2022-033R — FY 202212023 Budget A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CLERMONT OF LAKE COUNTY, FLORIDA, ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. City Clerk Howe read into the record Resolution No. 2022-032R in its entirety and Resolution No. 2022-033R by title only. City Manager Bulthuis gave an overview of his time with the City of Clermont along with a timeline of budget meetings and workshops with Council. Mr. Bulthuis explained some new processes going into effect in the new Fiscal year to address purchasing practices and track spending within the city departments. ARPA funds were discussed in regards to the amount the city will receive in total, amount received and allocated as well as the remaining balance and potential allocations. Mr. Bulthuis presented a PowerPoint presentation that included a review of Clermont's millage rate compared to the other cities in Lake County. Reviewed the different funds and stated that costs of services are rising. Public Safety is 64 percent of the entire budget. Mr. Bulthuis gave examples of millage rate effects on businesses as well as for homeowners and provided an overview of the save our home benefit. Mr. Bulthuis stated that at the First budget Public Hearing, Council directed staff to prepare a budget at 5.5 mills. Tonight, Council must adopt a millage rate and budget no higher than 5.5 mills. Mr. Bulthuis reviewed the fiscal year 2022/2023 proposed budget that was prepared with various millage rates. Mayor Murry opened the public hearing. 1 City of Clermont MINUTES FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 The following citizens spoke in opposition of increasing the millage rate: • Brendan Curl, 860 2nd Street • John Tidona, 3611 Brian Run Drive • Chandra Myers, 1040 Glen Raven Lane • Anthony Grove, 1105 Sadie Ridge Road • Mr. Muhammad, 1101 Sadie Ridge Road • Phil, Zeek Ridge Street • Joanne Meyerhoff, 1130 Woodsong Way • Victor, Sadie Ridge • Charlene Forth, 939 W. Desoto Street • Dani Page, Tuscany Ridge • Alison Strange, 700 Almond Street • Jonathan Garcia, 1066 Nathan Ridge Road • Jimmy Murphy, 10942 LeMay Drive The following citizens spoke in favor of increasing the millage rate: • Tom Bennett, Fire Department Battalion Chief • Pam Bennett, 2449 Shelby Lane • Jane McAllister, 2551 Windsor • William Valdes, 879 Sky Ridge Road • Ronaldo Camargo, 1212 S. Grand Hwy. • Charlotte Rourke, 20260 US Hwy 27 • Richard Williams, 3504 Windansea Court • Keith Mullins, 640 Drew Avenue • LaVonte Rogers, 667 W. Osceola Street • Joe McMahon, Clermont Public Services Department • Kris Kruse, Clermont Police Officer • Ethan Bell, Clermont Police Officer • Chuck Carter, 3332 White Blossom Suzanne O'Shea, 3700 South Hwy 27 —provided information about the Arts and Recreation Center including the programs offered for non-profit agencies. Mayor Murry closed the public hearing. City Manager Bulthuis stated the city's new projected growth assessment is $160,422,304. If we multiply that by the current millage 4.2061, that would bring in $674,000 from new growth. Mr. Bulthuis explained the Orange County municipalities receive additional funds for sales tax than Lake County. 2 City of Clermont MINUTES FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 Council Member Bates suggested taking the millage rate column of 5.2 mills and approve that budget with a slight increase to the 5.06 millage rate and use some of the unrestricted funds from ARPA to put toward the budget to balance it out. Mr. Bates explained that he is proposing a millage rate of 5.06 mills and looking at the expense column of the 5.2 mills, the difference comes into the Capital Improvements for the Police and Fire departments. Mayor Murry inquired about using reserves if they vote on 5.06 mills. Mr. Bates stated that he does not want to touch the reserves. Anticipating that if the city ends up with surplus at the end of the Fiscal Year, those funds can be put back into reserves to bring that back to the 25 percent. If there are funds beyond that, leave those funds to balance the budget. Council Member Purvis stated that the city needs the funds. If Council adopts the 5.06 millage rate, staff can find funding as opposed to using reserve funds to spend as though we had a millage rate of 5.2. Mr. Purvis is in support of Mr. Bates proposal. Council Member Entsuah explained that he was not comfortable with approving a millage rate of 5.06 mills and more inclined at 4.6 mills however, that would be tough to manage. Council Member Pines said that the Council is in place to protect the citizens of Clermont as well as make sure our level of service can still be provided. She agrees with 5.06 mills and subsequent actions to be taken with that. Mayor Murry explained that 5.06 mills requires four (4) votes, and went on to say that the budget process has been transparent this year. Mr. Murry is in support of the 5.06 millage rate. Council discussed the shortfall if they were to adopt below the 5.06 mills and if there were any suggestions on where the funds needed would come from. City Manager Bulthuis explained that if Council approves the 5.06 mills, staff can return to Council to request budget amendments throughout the year. Council Member Bates moved to approve Resolution 2022-032R with a final millay,e rate of 5.06, Seconded by Council Member Purvis. The motion passed by roll call vote 4-1 with Council Member Entsuah opposing_ Council Member Bates moved to approve Resolution 2022-033R to reflect the final budget rate regarding the 5.06 millage; Seconded by Council Member Purvis. Mayor Murry inquired if there needed to be options within the motion regarding the millage rate of 5.06 mills and expense column of 5.2 mills. City Attorney Mantzaris explained with the millage rate just adopted, staff would put together a comparable budget to the extent that budget amendments needed to be done to address specific items would return at a later date. The motion passed by roll call vote 5-0. 3 City of Clermont MINUTES FINAL BUDGET PUBLIC HEARING SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 CLOSING COMMENTS City Manager Bulthuis spoke to Council about the November Council meetings. The regularly scheduled meetings are November 8 and November 22. Traditionally the second meeting is cancelled due to Thanksgiving. He asked Council about canceling the second meeting in November. Council agreed to move the regularly scheduled November 22, 2022 Council meeting to November 29, 2022. ADJOURN: With no further comments, this meeting adjourned at 9:01pm. ATTEST: cy Ackroyd Howe, MMC City Clerk 4 APPROVED: Tim Murry, Mayor -